Method and apparatus for implementing H-ARQ in a MIMO wireless communication system

摘要

A method and apparatus for implementing hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communication system are disclosed. A transmitter transmits at least two data packets via two or more antennas. If at least one of the data packets is not successfully transmitted, the transmitter retransmits the data packets while rearranging the data packets in an orthogonal spreading manner. Alternatively, the transmitter may retransmit only the unsuccessfully transmitted data packet along with a new data packet which replaces a successfully transmitted data packet. The unsuccessfully transmitted data packet may simply be repeated without changing its format. When only the unsuccessfully transmitted data packet is retransmitted along with the new data packet, the transmissions may be combined to recover the retransmitted data packet and the new data packet simultaneously.